Kemp, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kemp, Oklahoma
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Location of kemp, Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Bryan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2) |
| • Land | 0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 637 ft (194 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 126 |
| • Density | 688.52/sq mi (266.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
74747
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| Area code(s) | 580 |
| FIPS code | 40-39050 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412822 |
Kemp is a small town located in Bryan County, Oklahoma, in the United States. In 2020, about 126 people lived there. It's a quiet community in the southern part of Oklahoma.
Contents
Geography of Kemp
Kemp is located in the southern part of Bryan County, Oklahoma. The town covers a total area of about 0.18 square miles (0.47 square kilometers). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large bodies of water within the town limits.
People Living in Kemp
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 221 | — | |
| 1910 | 336 | 52.0% | |
| 1920 | 396 | 17.9% | |
| 1930 | 186 | −53.0% | |
| 1940 | 204 | 9.7% | |
| 1950 | 158 | −22.5% | |
| 1960 | 153 | −3.2% | |
| 1970 | 153 | 0.0% | |
| 1980 | 178 | 16.3% | |
| 1990 | 138 | −22.5% | |
| 2000 | 144 | 4.3% | |
| 2010 | 133 | −7.6% | |
| 2020 | 126 | −5.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 144 people living in Kemp. These people made up 65 households and 44 families. The town had about 77 housing units.
Many different groups of people lived in Kemp. About 74% of the people were White. Around 19% were Native American. A small number of people were African American or from other backgrounds.
About one-third of the households had children under 18 living with them. Nearly half of the households were married couples. Some households had a female head without a husband. The average household had about two people.
The age of people in Kemp varied. About 24% were under 18 years old. Around 31% were between 25 and 44 years old. About 20% were 65 years or older. The average age was 40 years old.
History of Kemp
Kemp was first settled in the 1880s. It was originally called Warner Springs. In 1890, the town was renamed Kemp. This new name honored Jackson Kemp, an important leader of the Chickasaw Nation. At that time, Kemp was part of the Chickasaw Nation's Panola County. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Kemp became part of Bryan County.
The town's post office opened on October 20, 1890. The town was officially mapped out in 1901. Town lots, which are pieces of land for building, were sold starting in 1905.
Early Businesses and Decline
In its early days, Kemp had a busy Main Street with wooden sidewalks. There was a bank, several grocery stores, a pharmacy, and even a hotel. You could also find barber shops, places to keep horses, a hardware store, and cafes.
However, things changed in 1912. A new railroad, the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad, was built three miles west of Kemp. Many businesses, including the bank, moved to the new area near the railroad. This new place was first called Kemp City, and later renamed Hendrix. After this, the town of Kemp started to get smaller. The very last store in Kemp closed in 1980.
Schools and Education
Many girls of Chickasaw heritage from the area went to Bloomfield Academy. This was a school for Native American girls run by the Chickasaw Nation. It was located about three miles northwest of Kemp and operated from 1852 to 1911.
Other children in Kemp first went to the Warner Springs School. This was a one-room log schoolhouse just south of town. Around 1907, a larger wooden school building was built. Later, a brick school was constructed, but it burned down around 1940. A new school building made of rock replaced it.
Kemp High School had its first graduating class in 1932. The last class graduated in 1968. The school lost its official approval during a time when many schools in Oklahoma were combining. The school's mascot was the Kemp Tigers. Today, most students in the area go to school in Achille, Oklahoma. The old rock school building is now owned by the town and is used as the Kemp Community Center.
Community Life Today
Kemp has two active churches: the Kemp Baptist Church and the Kemp Church of Christ. Many adults who live in Kemp work in nearby cities. These include Durant, Oklahoma, or Sherman-Denison, Texas. For higher education, people often attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant or Grayson County College in Denison, Texas.
